Automatic brake for talking-machines.



' T. BIRNBAUM.

, AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 1107.16, 1909.

1,021,756, Patented Apr. 19 12.

a sums- HEET 1.

INVENTCR I I 22 60620136 Elk/264212121; v.

WITNESSES r I v a BY ' ATTORNEY T. BIRNBAUM.

AUTOMATIG BRAKE FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15.1909. 7

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

3' SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTCR Jiieodqne Bzmazma By Myra/i A TTORN E Y T. BIRNBAUM. AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1909.

. Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

- a SHEEN-SHEETS.

INVENTOR 'w r vEssE I t BY 7 w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rnnononn BIRNBAUM, or LONDON, ENGLAND, nssrcnon' rovrcron TALKING MACHINE coMrANY, A conronnrron or NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE BIRNBAUM, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the city of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Brakes for Talking-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates'to an improved automatic brake for gramophones and similar talking machines.

According to this invention a brake is provided which will automatically stop the machine when the selection has been played and the brake may either be operated by putting sidewise pressure on the sound arm as it reaches the end of the selection, inth manner proposed. with other known constructions of automatic brake, or this sidewise pressure may be dispensed with and the record furnished with an auxiliary spiral, in well known manner, running from the end of the sound line to a circular track around the center of the record.

A further feature of the invention is that the brake can be taken ofl so as to start the machine running, by bringing the sound arm ba k to the starting position, that is the position which will bring the reproducing needle to the commencement of the sound line.

My invention is illustrated in one form in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a plan view of part of a disk talking machine fitted with the improved brake, the brake being shown in the off position. F ig. 2 is a similar view, butwith the brake on. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are ;side elevation artly in section) and plan respectively of tlib brake on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of this invention, and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of the same, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6.

The sound arm a is carriedin the usual way, pivoted in the bracket b which is fixed rigidly on the cabinet 0. The sound-box d is carried "in the usual manner by the'semicircular piece e jointed to the sound arm atf.

The turntable g is shown carrying a record It. From the sound arm there extends downward a pin 2', with a roller '5 at its lower end. In the machine shown in the drawings, there is arranged within the sound four times around the pin, the other end of the spring is fixed to the lower cross piece.

On the top of the. cabinet 0 is screwed the plate is, and secured thereto, but so as to be capable of. lateral adjustmentis the second plate 70 upon the plate 70% are pivoted so as to swing horizontally two levers; 'one I, turning about a pivot Z is furnished at one end with a brake pad m, which is' pulled against, the side of the turntable g by the spring n,-and, at the other end the lever Z is formed with a cam face Z (Fig. 5). The

second lever 0, turning about a pivot 0 hasthree arms, one is furnished with a pin 72, which bears on the cam face Z of lever Z, and may advantageously be provided with a roller to reduce friction, the second arm has a projecting finger g which normally stands in the path of the pin 2' on the sound7ar m and the third arm 1' is an extension by means of which the brake can be put intothe off position by moving the sound arm outward or away from the center 'of the record. A spring 8 bears lightly on the lever o and The operation of the device is as follows: A record 1s placed on the turntable and the sound arm ismoved outward away from the record, into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This brings the roller 5 carried by the pin 2' up against the arm 1- so that it pushes back the latter into the position shown in Fig. l and so causes the pin 1) to ride up the cam face Z of the lever l, and bring the brake pad m away. from the turntable. The arm r-is preferably made of such length that on the .roller 5 pressing it back to the full extent, the pin p will be brought to rest on the top of the cam sur face P, so as to remain there till displaced. The turntable having started on the removal of thebrake pad m,-the needle of the soundbox is placed on the record, at the beginning of the sound: line, the several parts of the apparatus now occupying the posi tion shown in full lines in Fig. 1. As the needle follows the soundline, the sound arm gradually approaches the center of the rectends to hold the pin up against the cam face Z when the brake ison.

. cabinet.

0rd. On the needle reaching the end of the sound line the resistance of the sides of the sound groove is removed and the spring j throws the arm a farther toward the center of the record. Just before the needle, sliding over the smooth unrecorded portion of from being thrown by the spring 9', on to the label. The possibility of this occurring may further be obviated by making the projecting finger q of such shape that when the needle has reached the ridge y, the roller 6 lies against the point of the finger g,-.and to pass it has to overcome the spring 8. This spring 8. is so placed as not to press on the lever 0 when the brake is in the ofiposition, but only when the brake is on and the lever o is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

If the sound arm is carried beyond the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, then whether the brake is in the off position or in the onposition, that is, in the position shown in Figs. 1 or 2, the sound arm can always be returned to its starting position, for the outside face g (Fig. 5) of the finger g is made beveled, so that the roller 2' will ride up it and force the lever 0 back. In

the same way, if when the sound arm is brought out away from the record to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the brake is put on and the arm 1' so brought again into the path of the roller '5 the sound arm can be returned to the position for playing a record, for the roller i will ride up the beveled face 1' (see Fig. 5) There is thus no risk of the sound arm striking the brake so as to damage it or put it out of order.

The object of having the levers .Z and 0 pivoted on a plate which is adjustable on the cabinet is to allow of the accuratepositioning of the brake with regard to the pin 2: on the sound arm, without damaging the The plate kis first secured to the cabinet so as to bring the lever 0 into approximately the correct position, and then,

- the exact positionhaving been obtained, the

plate k is clamped down on to the-plate is.

It will be obvious that for playing records, that are furnished: with an auxiliary spiral groove or run out in well known manner, the spring pressure upon the sound arm can be dispensed with. In this case the runout spiral will drawthe needle to the edge of the label when the selection is finished, and so cause the pin 2' to trip the lever 0.

The brake may of course be made as above described, but without the arm 1'; I prefer however to make it with this arm as the machine can then be started and the sound box brought into the correct position for commencing the reproduction by a single movement.

If it is preferred to dispense with the pin 2' in the sound arm, the lever 0 may be arranged to swing vertically, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and in this case will be tripped by the sound arm itself. The cam surface l \in this construction would have to rise vertically, so that the pin p as it rose and fell might operate the lever Z.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- Y ters Patent is 1. In a talking machine, the combination with a rotary record support, of movable sound reproducing means, means for braking said record support normally held in engagement therewith, controlling means actuated by the said reproducing means and movable about a fixed axis independently of said braking means and of said reproducing means for rendering the braking means inoperative when said sound reproducing means is moved from an inoperative position to a starting position, and for bringing said braking means into operation as said sound reproducing meansreaches the inner end of its reproducing path.

2. In a talking machine, the combination with a rotary record support, of movable sound reproducing means, means for braking said record support normally held in engagement therewith, controlling means actuated by the said reproducing means and movable about a fixed axis independently of said braking means and of said reproducing means for rendering the braking means inoperative when said sound reproducing means is-moved inwardly from an inoper'ative position to a starting position, and for bringing said braking means into operation as said sound reproducing means reaches the inner end of its reproducing path.

3. In a talking machine, the combination with a,rotary record support, of movable sound reproducing means, means for braking said record support normally held in engagement therewith, controlling means actuated by the said reproducing means and movable about afixed axis independently of said braking means and of said reproducing means 'for rendering the braking means inoperative when said sound reproducing means is moved outwardly from an inoperative position to a starting position, and for bringing said braking means into operation an inoperative position to a starting position. and for bringing said braking means into operation as said .sound reproducing means reaches the inner end of its reproducing path.

Ina talking machine, the combination with a rotary turntable, of sound reproducing means, a pivoted swinging arm carrying said sound reproducing means, a brake lever pivoted upon a fixed axis and having a brake shoe normally held in engagement with said turntable, a controlling lever pivoted upon a fixed axis spaced from the fixed axis of said brake lever and actuated by the movement of said sound repro ducing means and movable independently of said arm, and means carried by and, pro jecting from said arm and'adapted to engage said controlling lever to render said brake lever inoperative when said sound reproducing means is moved from an inoperative position to a starting position. r (3. In a talking machine, the combination with a rotary turntable, of'sound reprodum ing means, a swinging pivoted'arm carrying said sound reproducing means, braking means normally engaging said turntable, a controlling lever pivoted upon a fixedaxis, and normally out of engagement with said arm but.- actuated by the movement of said arm in one direction, first to render said braking means inoperative and then to render thesame operative, said controlling lever being actuated by the movement of the said arm in the opposite direction to render said brake inoperative. g

7.- In a talking machine, the combination with a rotary record support, of movable sound reproducing means, braking means for said turntable, and means' operatively connected only-at predetermined intervals to be actuated by the movement of said'sound reproducing means in one. direction, first to render said braking. means inoperative and then to render the same operative, and rendered inoperative by the movement of said sound reproducing means in the opposite direction.

In a talking machine, the combination with a rotary turntable, of movable sound reproducing means, braking means for said turntable, and controlling means operatively connected at predetermined intervals to be actuated by the movement of said sound re-' producingmeans either inwardlyor outwardly with respect to said table adjacent the starting point of said sound reproducing means for rendering said, braking means inoperative, said controlling means being retained in inoperative position independently ofsaid reproducing means.

9. In a talking machine, the combination with a rotary turntable, of movable sound reproducing means, braking means for said. turntable, and controlling means normally free from said sound reproducing means but operatively connected at predetermined intervals to be actuated by the movement of said sound reproducing means either in wardly-or outwardly with respect to said table adjacent the starting point of said sound reproducing means for rendering said braking means inoperative, said controlling means being also actuated by the inward movement of said sound reproducing means adjacentthe inner end of its path to render said braking means operative.

10. An automatic brake for gramophones and similar talking machines comprising in combination a turntable, a horizontally swinging brake lever, a brake pad at one end of said lever, a cam face at the other end of said lever, a spring for normally holding the brake pad in engagement with said turntable, a two-armed horizontally swinging tripping lever, one arm of which lever carries a pin which bears against and rides on the cam face on the brake ley'er for .the purpose of removing the brake pad from the turntable, and for releasing the brake pad to move into engagement with the turntable.

11. An automatic brake for gramophones and similar talking machines comprising in combination a. turntable, a movable sound box arm, a horizontally swinging brake le- .ver,' a brake pad at one end'of said lever a cam .face at the other end of said lever, a spring for normally-holding the brake pad in engagement with said turntable, and a two-armed horizontally swinging tripping lever one arm of which lever carries a pin which bears against and rides on the cam face on the brake lever for the purpose of removing the pad from the turntable while the second arm of the tripping lever is formed so as to be tripp'ed by said sound box arm when the sound box arm approaches the end of its operative path for the purpose of bringing the brake pad into engagement with the turntable and thus stopping the machine.

12. An automatic brake for gramophones and similar talking machines comprising in combination ajturntable, a movable sound reproducer, ahorizontally swinging brake lever, a brake pad at one end of said lever, a spring normally holding said pad in engagement with said. turntable, a two'armed tripping lever swinging about a fixed vertical axis, means for removing the brake pad from the turntable when said reproducer is placed in the starting position, and for releasing the brake pad to move into engagementwith the turntable as said reproducer approaches the end of its operative path across said turntable.

13. An automatic brake for gramophones and similar talking machines comprising in combination a turntable, a movable sound reproducer' arm, a horizontally swinging brake lever, a brake pad at one end of said lever and a cam face at the other end of said lever, a spring normally holding the brake pad in engagement with said turntable, and a horizontally swinging tripping lever of which one arm, carrying a pin, lies inthe path of said sound reproducer arm as it is returned to the starting position so that this movement will force the pin to bear against and ride on the cam face on the brake lever and bring the brake pad away from the turntable while a. second arm on said tripping lever is-formed so as. to be tripped by the sound reproducer arm as said sound reproducer arm approaches the end of its operative path across said turntable for the purpose of bringing the brake pad into engagement with said turntable.

14. In a talking machine, the combination with a rotary record support, of a movable sound reproducer arm, a pin carried by said arm, means movable about a fixed axis for braking said record support, and means actuated by said pin and embracing said pin, between predetermined limits of the path of said pin, and movable about a separate fixed axis independently of said braking means and of said sound ieproducing means, for controlling said braking means.

15. In a talking machine, the combination with a rotary record support, 'of movable sound reproducing means, and means for braking said record support and controlling means actuated by said reproducing means and movable about a fixed axis independently of said braking means and of said to render said braking means inoperative I by a movement in either direction.

17-. In a talking machine, the combination with a turn-table, of a pivoted swinging arm carrying sound reproducing means, a brake lever pivoted upon a fixed axis, means tending to shift said lever into engagement with said turn-table, and a separate brake controlling lever pivoted upon a separate fixed axis and actuated by the movement of said swinging arm to release, or to retract said brake lever, or to retain said brake lever inoperative independent of the position of said arm.

18. In a talking machine, the combination with a turn-table, of movable sound reproducing means, braking means operative to stop said turn-table, and controlling means movable independently of said reproducing means and said braking means, and actuated by the movement of said sound reproducing means either inwardly or outwardly with respect to said turn-table adj acent to the starting point of said sound reproducing means for rendering said braking means inoperative, said controlling means being retained in either its operative or inoperative positions independently of said reproducing means. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE BIRNBAUM.

\Vitnesses RIPLEY VVI soN, GEORGE TAPPING. 

